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Bigelow: Emergency Drought Declaration Needed

Mother Lode Republican Assembly member Frank Bigelow is calling on Governor Jerry Brown to take action due to the lack of rain and snow.

Bigelow, who represents District Five, has written a letter to Brown asking for an emergency Drought Declaration. Bigelow points out that the last significant precipitation was in early December, and forecasters are not projecting any notable rain or snow on the horizon.

Bigelow writes, “Farmers in my region are already facing severe water shortages, which could affect their ability to grow the crops that feed the world. This in turn affects their ability to maintain a workforce and could lead to ballooning unemployment numbers in certain parts of the state.”

A drought declaration would heighten the awareness of the situation around the state and open the door for possible federal aid.

Bigelow adds, “Although the only thing that can prevent a drought at this point is rain, by issuing a drought emergency, we can ensure that every appropriate action is taken to help impacted residents, farms, and business owners.”

The Governor has created a committee to look at the weather situation, and an has been considering a potential declaration. This is the third straight dry winter that California has faced. The first Sierra Nevada Snowpack survey of the year showed that water content was 20% of average for the date.